Sri Lanka is set to grant free visa travel for 40 countries, as the island nation faces major drop in its tourism due to Middle East tensions and disrupted air travel. The tourism industry has faced 22% drop in the tourist arrivals during the first three weeks of March 2026.
Long Waited Initiative finally takes shape
This was a long discussed initiative that was first raised in 2024 and has now been moved forward to boost tourism. The Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath has confirmed that the free eTA (electronic Travel Authorisation) program is expected to be finalised and submitted to the Cabinet and could be approved by the Parliament this April.
Regional Tensions take a toll on Arrivals
The minister has also pointed out that the country’s tourist arrivals have decreased by 15% due to regional tensions. The latest figures show that the island nation welcomed around 151,693 tourists between March 1 and 25. Middle Eastern tensions have disrupted Europe-Asia air routes, causing flight cancellations and higher travel costs.
The average daily arrivals in Sri Lanka has fallen to 6,068, compared to previous year arrivals of 7,407. The peak daily volumes have also fallen to 7,318 visitors, as recorded on March 14.
Sri Lanka Tourism Recovery Stays Strong Amid Geopolitical Tensions
Despite the short term setback, Sri Lanka’s overall tourism recovery remains positive with 708,348 arrivals in the first quarter which is a 4.45% increase year over year. The tourism arrivals in the country started with strong performance this year, before the geopolitical tensions worsened.
Sri Lanka continues to draw tourists from a diverse mix of source markets. Among other international tourists, India is the leading contributor with around 39,424 arrivals in March which is 26% of the total. Other major contributors for the tourist arrivals are the UK, Russia, Germany and China.
The Long-haul Western markets have also helped soften the decline by bringing higher-spending visitors from the UK, the USA, Germany and other European nations.
40 Countries in Sri Lanka’s Tourism Drive
Seven countries including China, India and Japan already have 30-day free visa access to the country. The new free visa proposal will waive the visa taxes for an additional 33 nations that include the major European nations, the United States, Australia and the Gulf nations.
Other 33 countries that will benefit from Sri Lanka’s free eTA visa scheme include:
Iran, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Qatar, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.
With ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting travel, Sri Lanka’s initiative is likely to boost global demand and keep the country competitive during the crisis.
